Driving mechanism



' No Model.) 3Sheets -Sheet 1.

O. O. PALMER. DRIVING MECHANISM.

Patented Apr. 5, 1892.

(No Model. 3 SheetsSheet 2. G. O. PALMER.

DRIVING MECHANISM.

No. 472,178. Patented Apr. 5, 1892.

6 0. Palmer,

3 Sheets-Sheet, 3.

(No Model.)

0. 0. PALMER. DRIVING MECHANISM.

Patented Apr. 5, 1892.

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NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES O. PALMER, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

DRIVING MECHANISM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 472,178, dated April 5, 1892. Application filed January 27, 1891. Serial No. 379,333. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES O. PALMER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveof Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in "Driving Mechanism, of

l which the following is a specification.

" This invention relates to driving mechanism, the object being to furnish a system for driving and feeding movable machines by power applied from a fixed source or motor. It consists in a belt or rope driving system having therein a differential element connected for effecting the feed movement of the machine.

My recent improvements are especially adapted for operating mining machinerysuch, for instance, as the machines used in undercutting coal, salt, and other mineral veinsand are equally well adapted for the long-wall systemof mining orfor the room system.

In the drawings accompanying and forminga part of this specification, Figure l is a plan view of a system of rope-driving apparatus embodying my invention arranged for use in the long-wall system of mining. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the apparatus. Figs. 3 and 4. are diagrammatic views of modifications of the driving apparatus. Fig. 5 is a plan view of a modification of the driving apparatus. Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the apparatus shown in Fig. 5. Fig. '7 is a plan view of another modified organization of the 5 invention.

Similar characters designate like parts in all the figures.

My present improvements being adapted for use in connection with mining-machines in general and in connection with any suitable motor, I have shown in the drawings simple representations of a motor and of a mining-machine connected by a rope-driving system embodying my invention, The mo- 5 tor comprises, besides the base or frame-work N, a driving-shaft S, connected to operate the driving pulley or pulleys for actuating the driving-rope. The mining-machine as usually constructed on any of the ordinary systems comprises some suitable frame-work, as M, provided with wheels,-as 3, running on the rails 4 4 of the track. Said mining-mav.and, in the county of Ouyahoga and State ments I have shown the machine M provided with a cutting-tool 5, carried by a horizontally-extending shaft 6, which is driven by ordinary bevel-gears 7 and 8 from the vertical shaft 9, which shaft carries and is operated by said driven pulley P. It will be understood, however, that any well-known instrumentalities for cutting the mineral may be substituted for that shown in the drawings, and may be suitably connected to be operated from said driven pulley P.

The driving mechanism consists of a differential element comprising two pulleys, two terminal pulleys, and a driving belt or rope wound on said pulleys so as to form a double circuit, the mechanism including a drivingpulley, a fulcrum-pulley, and a driven pulley. Any of the differential or terminal pulleys may be the driver or driven pulleys. In the arrangement shown in Figs. 1 and 2 the driving-pulley B is also the differential pulley, and consists of the two pulleys 10 and 12, of different diameters and formed or rigidly connected together, thereby constituting, also, the aforesaid differential element of the system. The driven pulley P, which is also nal pulley, is a single pulley, similar in character to the driving-pulleys 10 and 12, and is fixed to the shaft 9. The intermediate pulley 11, which is the other terminal pulley, is located at a convenient distance between the driven and driving pulleys. The driving-rope R runs from the large driving-pulley 12 to and around the driven pulley P, as indicated at 20, then to and around small driving-pulley 10, as at 20, then to and around pulley 11, as indicated by 22, and finally back to the large driving-pulley, as indicated by 22', thus completing two circuits, one of which terminates on one end at one terminal pulley on the mining-machine, while the other terminates at the other aforesaid terminal or intermediate pulley ll. Said intermediate pulley is carried by any convenient device, as the carrier 13, whereto is connected the draft-rope 14 for driving or feeding forward the miningone termimachine during the operation thereof. This draft-rope extends to the fulcrum or fulcrumpulley 15, which is carried by a suitable post D, that is fixed in place by means of a jackscrew 16 or in some other convenient manner, which post is provided with a suitable wheel-carryin g bracket, as 45. The draft-rope as a means for adjusting the tension of the same passes over the fulcrum-pulley 15 and back to the mining-machine, where it is counected by means of a clamp or by a hitch in awell-known manner to atake-up lever L, which is pivoted to the frame M at any convenient point thereof, as at 1'7, and is provided with a catch device, as 18, for locking the lever in place.

In preparing to use the form of driving system shown in Figs. 1 and 2 the miner reels on the driving-rope in the manner shown, sets the post or jack D, passes the draft-rope over the fulcrum-pulley, and, drawing it up taut, connects it by a suitable hitch or otherwise to the aforesaid lever L while this lever is in its outward position. (Shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1.) The draft-rope being made fast thereto, the miner seizes the lever and forcibly throws back the same, thus drawing the draft-rope to a firm tension and making the apparatus ready for use.

The operation of the driving apparatus, the driving-wheels being suitably operated, is, first, to rotate the driven pulley P, and thus operate the mining instrumentalities; second, by reason of the different diameters of the driving-pulleys 10 and 12, respectively, to change the lengths of the two circuits of the driving-rope, and the organization and operation is such, as shown in Fig. 1, as to lengthen the driving-circuit 2O 20 and to shorten the feed-circuit 22 22, thereby drawing the intermediate pulley toward the driving-wheels at a rate depending on the relative sizes of the respective driving-pulleys. The effect of this action is to draw the draft-line 14 over the fulcrum-wheel 15, and thus slowly and powerfully move the mining-machine M toward the post or jack D.

It will be readily understood that by reversing the direction of travel of the rope the machine in Fig. 1 will be fed toward the differential pulley B instead of away from it, as shown, because the rope will be taken up on pulley 12 faster than paid out by pulley 10, which will shorten the circuit ending in pulley P and lengthen the circuit ending in pulley 11. It will also be understood that the machine would be rotated and at the same time fed along to its work if the power was applied to the rope and not to the differential pulley B. This would be the case if handpower was applied to the rope, or if the rope was made to pass around another pulley, as illustrated in Fig. 3.

The modifications shown in Figs. 3 and 4 are simple rearrangements of substantially the same elements as described in connection with Figs. land 2, the details being designated by the same characters, as will be readily understood by comparison of the drawings.

It will also be understood that the pulley B maybe situated at a remote distance, and that the rope on either circuit may be carried by pulleys around corners or in any direction without in any way departing from the spirit of the invention. lhis maybe done, as shown in Fig. 5, by suitable pulleys, as 19, 29, 21, and 31, hereinafter more fully described; also, any number of loops maybe made in the rope, and the necessary pulleys inserted for keeping the line taut. This feature is illustrated in the diagrammatic view, Fig. 4, which shows additional loops, at whose extremities are located the pulleys l3 and 42. Byinscrting the pulleys supported by posts 33 and to change the direction of the roped have the modification shown in Fig. 5. It will be understood that the take-up for tightening the rope may be made by any suitable arrangement, as the turn-buckle 27, for drawing tight the pulley on any loop in the rope. These modifications are shown in Figs. 5 and 6, in which the driving apparatus is arranged for use in the room system of mining. In this arrangement the motor is placed back from the line of the track, as indicated in Fig. 5, and the driving-rope has two additional loops inserted in the driving-circuit. For turning the corner at the left hand of the room a suitable set of intermediate pulleys is provided, as shown in said figure, said set comprising the separate pulleys 19 and 29, carried by the bracket 32 on the post or jack 33. The corresponding pulleys 21 and 31 are carried by a similar bracket 34 011 the corresponding post or jack 85. The two traveling pulleys P and 11 are situated on the same shaft; but only pulley P is fastened thereto. The take-up is in this case the turn-buckle 27, which is carried by the carrier 13 and hitched to some convenient point-as, for instance, the eyebolt 30 on the motor. The differential pulley here consists of pulleys 10 and 12, carried by a bracket 45, which is carried by a jack D, substantially as shown. The rope in this case is driven by the motorwheel B and runs from the large or driving pulley 12 to the pulley 31, as shown at 23, then to pulley 42, as shown at 24-, then to pulley 29, as shown at 24, then to and half around pulley P, then to pulley 21, as shown by 20', then to B, as shown by 20", then to pulley 19, as shown at 20, then to and half around pulley 10, as indicated at 28, then to and half around pulley 11, as indicated at 22, and then to and around pulley 12.

A more general modification is shown in Fig. '7, in which the motor N carries the differen tial element consisting of the pulleys 12" and 10", while the mining-machine M carries the terminal pulleys 11" and P". Pulleys 15 and 15 together constitute the fulcrum-pulley, while pulleys 42' and 13" are for changing the direction of the rope. To the yoke 32" is attached the take-up in the form of a screw,

as 28, which passes through the post 33 and has thereon the nut 27 It will be seen that by running the rope in the direction of the arrows it is paid off faster from pulley 12" than it is taken up by pulley This lengthens the circuit ending on pulley 11 and shortens the circuit ending on pulley P, and thereby draws the machine toward the post D. However, by reversing the direction of running the rope the direction of the feed of the mining-machine may be reversed. If the mining-machine were'to be kept stationary and the motor allowed to move by running the rope, as indicated by the arrows, of course the motor would move toward pulley B, because the motion produced is simply a relative motion of the differential and terminal pulleys. Hence the differential may be placed on the moving part of the system, which evidently may be the mining-machine.

It should be noted that by term drivingpulley as herein used I mean a pulley or the pulley which directly actuates the working or machine-driving pulley, said driving-pulley not being in all cases the prime mover or motor wheel. WVhenever the rope passes nearly around a pulley, as at B, Fig. 3, and at 10" and 12", Fig. 7, the well-known tendency of the rope to chafe may be reduced or entirely overcome when the pulleys are of large size relatively to the diameter of the rope by properly inclining-the running plane of the pulley relatively to the planes of the approaching and separating runs of the rope in a well-known manner.

It is sometimes necessary to actuate the mining-machine without feeding forward the same, and to provide for this mode of operation I form the differential wheels 10 and 12 separate and provide a suitable dowel-pin or lock, as 43, by which said wheels may be connected and disconnected in a well-known manner, as may be desired. When setting up the apparatus, said differential Wheel should be disconnected and the machine started, after which said wheels may be locked together whenever the miner or operator is ready to begin the straight out.

In the form and arrangement of the system shown in Figs. 1 and 2 the machine-driving pulley P, carried on the movable machine, is located between the terminal pulleys B and 15 and also between the intermediate pulley 11 and said terminal pulley 15. The pulleys B comprise the wheel 10 and the wheel 12, which together constitute in this case the differential of the series of terminal and intermediate pulleys and wheels. The organization of the system is such, it being furnished with means, substantially as described, for co-operating with the driving system proper, that the driving-circuit comprising the runs 20 20' is lengthened simultaneously and correspondingly with-the shortening of the feedcircuit comprising the runs 22 22. (These reference characters also designate the corre- 'meet the exigencies of a spending runs of the same circuits in Figs. 5 and 7.) Said means for co-operating with the driving system proper consists, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, of the draft-rope 14, carried by the terminal wheel 15 and connected, as hereinbefore described, in the form and arrangement of the system shown in Figs. 5 and 7. Said means (corresponding to said draft-rope 14) consists of the above-described intermediate circuit extending between the wheels P and 11, the latter wheel being properly the intermediate in both Figs. 1 and 3. The corner-wheels for turning the angle at the left hand of the room in Fig. 5 are not strictly a part of the system, but are only used to particular location, as will be understood from the drawings and the preceding description.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, by simply reversing the direction of the driving-rope from that shown by the arrows in the drawings the machine is made to travel toward the motor, and the driving-rope or circuit becomes also the feeding-circuit, while the other loop or circuit simply serves to take up the slack and keep a uniform tension on the rope. I prefer, however, to run the rope as shown in the drawings, for the reason that should the cutter on the machine run into a hard place in the mineral the driving-loop would become tighter and the feeding-loop consequently looser and perhaps slip on pulley 10, thereby retarding or stopping the advance of the machine, and thus preventing the breaking of a cutter; but when the driving-loop is also the feeding-loop (as is the case when the direction of the driving-rope is reverse from that shown by the arrows) if a hard place is encountered in the mineral then the drivingloop, which is also the feeding-loop, is tightened, the cutter more forcibly rotated, and possibly broken.

In Fig. l the apparatus is shown near the completion of one out, the mining-machine having been advanced nearly to the jack D, whereby it is drawn forward. In Fig. 5 the mining-machine is shown at about the middle of its straight travel.

In another application, Serial N 0. 378,645, filed January 22, 1891, I have illustrated the modification of this driving system shown in Fig. 7 applied to the operating of an improved mining-machine working on the room system. In my present application I have not described in detail the operation of the miningmachine, but have done so in my other said application.

By means of my improved driving apparatus the machine is fed to its work by means of the same belt or rope used for driving the cutting instrumentalities without requiring a separate feed mechanism, and at the same time I provide for maintaining the drivingrope at a proper tension as the machine is moved along its course.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. In a ropedriving system for movable machines, the combination, with the machinedriving pulley carried on the machine and with a series of terminal and intermediate pulleys, substantially as described, comprising a differential, of the driving belt or rope reeled to form a driving-circuit and a feedcircuit, the system being organized and furnished, substantially as described, for shortenin g the feed-oi rcuit simultaneously and correspondingly with thelengthening of the driving-circuit, substantially as described.

2. In a rope-driving system for movable machines, the combination, with the machinedriving pulley carried on the machine and with a pair of differential wheels, of the intermediate wheel connected for feeding forward the machine, and a driving belt or rope reeled over the machine driving pulley, the differential wheels, and the intermediate wheel to form a driving-circuit and a feed-circuit, whereby the machine is actuated through one of said circuits and is fed forward by the other of said circuits, substantially as described.

3. In a driving system, the combination, with a driving-pulley and a movable machine having a driven pulley thereon, of the intermediate pulley 11, a f ulcrunrwheel, and draftline connected substantially as described for feeding the machine, and a driving-belt reeled to form two circuits, including the driving, driven, and intermediate pulleys, one of said pulleys constituting a differential element.

4. In a rope-driving system for movable machines, the combination, with the machinedriving pulley carried on the machine and with a differential element comprising two separate wheels and means for connecting and disconnecting said wheels, of the intermediate wheel connected for feeding forward the machine, and a driving belt or rope reeled over the machine-driving pulley, the differential wheel, and the intermediate wheel to form a driving-circuit and a feed-circuit, whereby on disconnecting the differential wheels the machine may be actuated for feedin g forward the same and 011 locking together the diiferential wheels the machine may be both actuated and fed forward, substantially as described.

5. In a rope-drivin g system for movable machines, the combination, with the machinedriving pulley carried on the machine, and with the differential wheels 10 and 12 and means for connecting and disconnecting said wheels, of the intermediate wheel 11, the terminal wheel 15, the draft-line connecting said intermediate wheel with the machineover the terminal wheel, and a driving belt or rope reeled over the said machine-driving pulley, the differential wheel, and the intermediate wheel to form a driving-circuit and a feedcircuit, substantially as described.

6. Ina driving system for movable machines, the combination,with the machine-driving pulley carried on the machine, the drivingwheel, the intermediate wheel, the terminal wheel, and a driving belt or rope reeled over the machine-driving wheel and the intermediate wheel to form driving and feed circuits, substantially as described, of the take-up movably supported on the machine and adapted to be locked and unlocked from its working position, and the draftline extending from the intermediate pulley over the terminal pulley and connecting with the movable machine through said take-up thereon, substantially as described.

7. In a rope-driving system for operating movable machines, the combination, with four pulleys arranged in two pairs, of the drivingbelt reeled to form two circuits carried by said four pulleys, two of said pulleys being connected for different peripheral velocities, whereby one circuit is shortened and the other said lengthened.

CHARLES O. PALMER.

Vitnesses:

EDGAR E. STARK, ALBERT E. LYNCH. 

